Northern District of Alabama
Press releases recorded for this federal judicial district.
Madison County Woman Sentenced to More than Two Years in Prison for Soliciting BribesRead the Press Release
HUNTSVILLE, Ala. – A Madison County woman has been sentenced for bribery, announced Acting U.S. Attorney Catherine L. Crosby.
U.S. District Judge Corey L. Maze sentenced Megan Nicole Tillery, 39, of Meridianville, Alabama, to 28 months in prison. In October 2025, Tillery pleaded guilty to use of interstate commerce facility in aid of racketeering.
According to the plea agreement, Tillery was employed with the Community Action Partnership in the second quarter of 2022 as the Community Intake Specialist. Tillery used her position to solicit bribes from individuals in exchange for applying Low-Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP) funds to their accounts when they did not qualify for funding under the program. Tillery also solicited money from an individual who was qualified for LIHEAP funds. Tillery told the individual that he needed to pay her to reduce the utility bill. The individual was not required to pay a fee to Tillery or Community Action Partnership to receive funds because he qualified for LIHEAP benefits. Between July 2022 and December 2023, Tillery received more than $15,000 in bribes.
LIHEAP provides federally funded assistance in the form of a grant to eligible households to reduce their energy costs. Alabama has designated the Alabama Department of Economic and Community Affairs (ADECA) as the entity responsible for receiving these federal funds and administering the LIHEAP program to the state. In Madison and Limestone Counties, ADECA has partnered with Community Action Partnership for that purpose.
“This defendant was afforded a position of trust, and she used it to enrich herself,” said Acting U.S. Attorney Catherine Crosby. “We will continue to hold people accountable who exploit taxpayer-funded programs intended to benefit struggling Americans for their own personal gain.”
“Abusing one’s position for personal gain, especially during a time of crisis, shows a blatant disregard for the oath that every government official takes,” said David R. Fitzgibbons, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI Birmingham Division. “Federal assistance programs are created to support individuals, families, and businesses that have experienced significant loss. FBI Birmingham along with our partners are dedicated to protecting these programs from fraud to ensure that honest citizens can receive the assistance they need most during difficult times. Anyone who commits fraud against the government will be held accountable to the fullest extent of the law.”
The FBI, Tennessee Valley Authority – Office of the Inspector General, and U.S. Department of Health & Human Services – Office of Inspector General investigated. Assistant U.S. Attorney John M. Hundscheid prosecuted the case.
Florida Man Sentenced to 50 Years in Prison for Sextortion CrimesRead the Press Release
HUNTSVILLE, Ala. – A Florida man has been sentenced for the sexual exploitation of numerous individuals in the northern and middle districts of Alabama, announced Acting U.S. Attorney Catherine L. Crosby.
U.S. District Judge Corey L. Maze sentenced Trevon Lamont Brown, 25, of Ocala, Florida, to 600 months in prison followed by a life term of supervised release. In December 2025, Brown pleaded guilty to multiple charges including sex trafficking, production of child pornography, coercion and enticement of a minor, and cyberstalking.
“The U.S. Attorney’s Office will continue to be relentless in our prosecution of those who exploit the most vulnerable among us – our children,” said Acting U.S. Attorney Catherine Crosby. “Trevon Brown victimized children across the United States, not just in the Northern and Middle Districts of Alabama. These children have suffered tremendously and will continue to experience lifelong impacts as images of their abuse remain online forever. We are grateful to our federal and state law enforcement partners that remain resolute in their pursuit of justice for these children. With their help, we will make sure monsters like Brown spend significant time behind bars.”
“This defendant exploited and manipulated minors for his own gain, then used fear and intimidation to further victimize them,” said Acting U.S. Attorney Kevin Davidson for the Middle District of Alabama. “By soliciting images from minors and threatening to expose them, Brown carried out a cruel and calculated scheme of exploitation. Protecting children from this kind of abuse remains a top priority for both the Middle and Northern Districts of Alabama, and this sentence reflects our shared commitment to seeking justice for victims and holding offenders fully accountable.”
“We will not tolerate predators who exploit children and young adults. Our agents, alongside our dedicated law enforcement partners, worked tirelessly across state lines to protect victims and bring offenders to justice,” said Steven N. Schrank, Special Agent in Charge of Homeland Security Investigations in Georgia and Alabama. “The public can be assured we are vigilant and unwavering in our mission to defend the most vulnerable.”
According to court documents, beginning in December 2020 and continuing for several years, Brown used various social media accounts to pose as a teenage female and engage with males between the ages of 15-23 years old. Brown sent sexually explicit photos and/or videos of a female and requested similar photos and/or videos of the males in return. After receiving the photos and/or videos from the males, Brown threatened to expose them by sending them to their friends and family unless they complied with his extensive demands. Federal search warrants for Brown’s online accounts were obtained and executed. And on August 2, 2023, agents executed a search warrant on Brown’s residence in Ocala, Florida, where they seized multiple electronic devices. A review of Brown’s online accounts and the forensic examination of Brown’s iPhones revealed child pornography and other sexually explicit images and videos of many victims.
During this investigation, agents were informed by the Alabama Law Enforcement Agency (ALEA) of additional victims located in the Middle District of Alabama (MDAL). Between March 2023 and August 2023, Brown, using the same methods of online sextortion as he did with the victims in the Northern District, threatened and intimidated three victims in the MDAL to expose their sexually explicit images if they did not comply with Brown’s demands. Brown was indicted on federal charges of cyberstalking in the MDAL, and the case was subsequently transferred to the Northern District of Alabama for plea and sentencing.
Sextortion is a form of online sexual exploitation where victims are threatened or blackmailed, and it is a growing problem in the United States. The National Center for Missing and Exploited Children (NCMEC) documented a dramatic increase in reports of sextortion to their CyberTipline. In fact, NCMEC reported that the number of online enticement reports (which includes reports of sextortion) increased by more than 300% between 2021 and 2023.
In response to this epidemic, the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Alabama and the National Children’s Advocacy Center in Huntsville, Alabama, partnered to produce and release a digital series to educate parents and caretakers about sextortion and how they can help prevent children and teens from being victims. This series offers short, three-to-five-minute videos about online safety topics and provides essential information about the true dangers of online activities. The videos can be accessed here: Sextortion Prevention.
The case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched by the Department of Justice in May 2006 to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS), Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to better locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet and to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.projectsafechildhood.gov.
Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) Birmingham investigated the case along with the assistance of HSI Illinois Division, HSI New York Division, HSI North Carolina Division, HSI Florida Division, FBI Birmingham Division, Jefferson County Sheriff’s Office, Alabama Law Enforcement Agency, Clarksville Police Department in Tennessee, Pennsylvania State University Police and Public Safety, University of Tennessee at Chattanooga Police Department, and Ocala Police Department in Florida. Assistant U.S. Attorneys R. Leann White of the Northern District of Alabama and Tara Ratz of the Middle District of Alabama prosecuted the cases.
If you suspect or become aware of possible online sexual exploitation, please make a report with the appropriate authorities. To report an incident, you can call the Department of Homeland Security’s Know2Protect Tipline at 1-833-591-KNOW (5669) or contact the NCMEC CyberTipline online at report.cybertip.org.
Athens Man Sentenced to 18 Years in Prison for Distributing Child PornographyRead the Press Release
HUNTSVILLE, Ala. – A sex offender has been sentenced for distributing and possessing child pornography, announced Acting U.S. Attorney Catherine L. Crosby.
U.S. District Judge Corey L. Maze sentenced Hunter William Bell, also known as “amWoos,” 29, of Athens, Alabama, to 216 months in prison followed by a 20-year term of supervised release. In December 2025, Bell pleaded guilty to distribution and possession of child pornography.
“This sentence ensures yet another child predator has been removed from our community and can no longer pose a threat to our children,” said Acting U.S. Attorney Catherine Crosby. “We are grateful for the dedicated work of our federal and state law enforcement partners in bringing this defendant to justice.”
“This sentencing underscores the FBI’s dedication to seeking justice for our children,” said David R. Fitzgibbons, Special Agent in Charge of FBI Birmingham. “Along with our partners, we have ensured that one less predator is able to victimize the most innocent and vulnerable members of our community. We will continue to devote every available resource to identifying and stopping those who exploit our children.”
According to the plea agreement, on August 16, 2024, FBI’s Oklahoma City Field Office (FBI OC) executed a federal search warrant at an individual’s residence. During the search, the individual’s electronic devices were seized. A review of the electronic devices revealed child pornography being exchanged via the Kik messenger application between the individual and Bell. In October 2024, the FBI OC sent an investigative lead to the FBI’s Birmingham Field Office. A search warrant was obtained for Bell’s Kik account revealing his account was used to distribute pornography. On January 14, 2025, FBI agents arrested Bell at his home. Agents seized an Apple iPhone containing more than 600 images of child pornography.
If you suspect or become aware of possible sexual exploitation of a child, please contact law enforcement. To alert the FBI Birmingham Office, call 205-326-6166. Reports can also be filed with the National Center for Missing & Exploited Children (NCMEC) or online at www.cybertipline.org.
The case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched by the Department of Justice in May 2006 to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS), Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to better locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet and to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.projectsafechildhood.gov.
The FBI along with the Alabama Law Enforcement Agency investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorneys John M. Hundscheid and Sara M. Judah prosecuted the case.
Sixteen Individuals Indicted in Takedown of East Alabama Drug Trafficking Organization as part of a Homeland Security Task Force InvestigationRead the Press Release
BIRMINGHAM, Ala. – A federal grand jury has indicted 16 individuals in separate-but-related indictments for drug trafficking and illegal firearms’ possession, announced Acting U.S. Attorney Catherine L. Crosby.
Three indictments filed in U.S. District Court charge the following individuals:
Aumori Jaimon Willis, 22, Nasir Ahmad Fluker, 22, Jarek Ahmad Burroughs, 21, and Robert Blake Stovall, 33—all of Anniston, Alabama—and Edward Damon Wade, 32, of Jacksonville, Alabama, were charged with conspiracy to possess with the intent to distribute and distribution of methamphetamine. The alleged incidents occurred between September 2025 and March 2026, in Calhoun County, Alabama. The indictment also charges Stovall with using and carrying a firearm during and relation to a drug-trafficking crime and Willis and Burroughs with possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug-trafficking crime.
Logan Chase Turner, 28, of Boaz, Alabama, and Mary Ann Alexander, 60, of
Eastaboga, Alabama, were charged with conspiracy to possess with the intent to distribute and distribution of methamphetamine. The alleged incidents occurred in January 2026 in Calhoun County, Alabama. The indictment also charges Turner with being a felon in possession of a firearm and possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug-trafficking crime.
Bradderick Dewayne Nolan, 52, Barry Eugene Nolan, 58, Cederick Lamon Woolverton, 57, Dantreas Thomas, 42, and Leiquore Tavera Crook, 42—all of Anniston, Alabama— Robert Jamiel David, 43, Toshi Maurice Holliday, 48, and Jermaine Jenkins, 51—all of Munford, Alabama—and Gregory Lee Burnett, 48, of Gadsden, Alabama, were charged with conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute and distribution of methamphetamine. The alleged incidents occurred between June 2025 and March 2026, in Calhoun County, Alabama. The indictment also charges Bradderick Nolan with being a felon in possession of a firearm and possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug-trafficking crime. Bradderick Nolan, Barry Nolan, Holliday, Jenkins and David were also charged with use of a communication facility to commit a drug trafficking crime.
This operation is part of the Homeland Security Task Force (HSTF) initiative established by Executive Order 14159, Protecting the American People Against Invasion. The HSTF is a whole-of-government partnership dedicated to eliminating criminal cartels, foreign gangs, transnational criminal organizations, and human smuggling and trafficking rings operating in the United States and abroad. Through historic interagency collaboration, the HSTF directs the full might of United States law enforcement towards identifying, investigating, and prosecuting the full spectrum of crimes committed by these organizations, which have long fueled violence and instability within our borders. In performing this work, the HSTF places special emphasis on investigating and prosecuting those engaged in child trafficking or other crimes involving children. The HSTF further utilizes all available tools to prosecute and remove the most violent criminal aliens from the United States. The Alabama HSTF comprises agents and officers from the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF), the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the United States Marshals Service (USMS), and the Internal Revenue Service, with the prosecution being led by the United States Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Alabama.
ATF and DEA investigated the case, with assistance from the United States Postal Inspection Service, USMS, HSI, the 7th Judicial Major Crimes Unit, Anniston Police Department, Oxford Police Department, Alabama Law Enforcement Agency, Calhoun County Sheriff’s Office, Cleburne County Sheriff’s Office, Talladega Drug Task Force, West Alabama Narcotics Task Force, Irondale Police Department, and Pell City Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Allison J. Garnett and Brittany T. Byrd are prosecuting the cases.
An indictment contains only charges. Defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
Florida Man Indicted for Sexual Exploitation of a MinorRead the Press Release
BIRMINGHAM, Ala. – A Florida man has been indicted on child exploitation charges, announced Acting U.S. Attorney Catherine L. Crosby.
A four-count indictment filed in the U.S. District Court charges Kyle David Dudick, 36, of Royal Palm Beach, Florida with production of child pornography, attempted production of child pornography, transfer of obscene material to minors, and distribution of child pornography. The incidents allegedly occurred in August 2025 in Jefferson County, Alabama. On April 16, 2026, Dudick was arrested in South Carolina.
If you suspect or become aware of possible sexual exploitation of a child, please contact law enforcement. Reports can be filed with the National Center for Missing & Exploited Children (NCMEC) or online at www.cybertipline.org.
The case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched by the Department of Justice in May 2006 to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS), Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to better locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet and to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.projectsafechildhood.gov.
The FBI investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Daniel S. McBrayer is prosecuting the case.
An indictment contains only charges. A defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
Felon Convicted on Drug-Trafficking and Firearm ChargesRead the Press Release
BIRMINGHAM, Ala. – A convicted felon has been found guilty by a federal jury for drug trafficking and illegal firearms possession, announced Acting U.S. Attorney Catherine L. Crosby.
The jury returned a guilty verdict against Dimarcus DeSean Hodge, 34, of Birmingham, after two days of testimony before U.S. District Judge Liles C. Burke. Hodge was convicted of possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine and heroin, possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug-trafficking crime, and being a felon in possession of a firearm.
According to evidence presented at trial, between October 26, 2023, and February 15, 2024, Hodge sold more than 140 grams of methamphetamine and a gram of fentanyl to a law enforcement source over a series of controlled purchases. On February 21, 2024, a search warrant was issued for two of Hodge’s vehicles. Officers recovered 4.5 pounds of methamphetamine, over an ounce of heroin, three firearms, a bag of 9mm ammunition, two iPhones, digital scales, and $1,790 in cash.
Hodge is prohibited from possessing a firearm due to multiple prior felony convictions in Jefferson County, Alabama.
HSI investigated the case, along with the Leeds Police Department. Irondale Police Department and Birmingham Police Department assisted in executing the arrest warrant. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Alan S. Kirk and Ryan S. Rummage prosecuted the case.
Convicted Sex Offender Receives Multiple Life Sentences in PrisonRead the Press Release
BIRMINGHAM, Ala. – A convicted sex offender will serve life in prison for the sexual exploitation and sexual abuse of numerous children across the United States, announced Acting U.S. Attorney Catherine L. Crosby.
U.S. District Judge Annemarie Axon sentenced Graham Daniel Ash, 42, of Pinson, Alabama, to four life sentences plus 280 years in prison followed by a life term of supervised release. In December 2025, Ash pleaded guilty to an 11-count indictment, which included the sexual exploitation of children, transportation of child pornography, coercion and enticement of minors, possession of child pornography, aggravated sexual abuse of a child, and penalties for registered sex offenders. Ash was previously convicted of electronic solicitation of a child in Jefferson County, Alabama, in 2022.
According to court documents, beginning in August 2023, Ash distributed images and videos of child sexual abuse material in his online correspondence with an undercover FBI agent with the District of Columbia Field Office. A federal search warrant was subsequently executed on Ash’s residence in Pinson, Alabama. Agents recovered a laptop and two smashed cell phones from Ash’s residence.
Following the search warrant, FBI Agents in the District of Columbia and Northern District of Alabama continued their investigation into Ash. Search warrants for Ash’s online accounts and the forensic examination of his seized devices revealed evidence of other crimes that Ash committed between February and October 2023. Those crimes occurred in the Northern District of Alabama and elsewhere and involved minor victims located throughout the United States. In his communications with these children, Ash repeatedly coerced and directed children to perform sexually explicit acts in the images and videos he demanded of them. Ash also traveled out of state to rape and sodomize an 11-year-old child. The investigation has led to the identification of more than 25 minor victims, who range in age from 7 to 14 years, residing in various states.
Ash was also charged in an indictment in the District of Columbia and pleaded guilty to coercion and enticement of a minor. That court sentenced him in April 2025 to 216 months in federal prison.
If you suspect or become aware of possible sexual exploitation of a child, please contact law enforcement. To alert the FBI Birmingham Office, call 205-326-6166. Reports can also be filed with the National Center for Missing & Exploited Children (NCMEC) or online at www.cybertipline.org.
The case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched by the Department of Justice in May 2006 to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS), Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to better locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet and to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.projectsafechildhood.gov.
The FBI Birmingham Field Office, Violent Crimes Against Children Unit, and FBI Washington Field Office investigated the case. Other federal and state law enforcement agencies in Missouri, Texas, California, Connecticut, West Virginia, Kentucky, Kansas, Florida, Indiana, New York, Oklahoma, North Carolina, Colorado, and Maryland were instrumental in identifying and locating the minor victims. Assistant U.S. Attorney R. Leann White prosecuted the case.
U.S. Attorney’s Office Observes National Crime Victims’ Rights WeekRead the Press Release
BIRMINGHAM, Ala. – Acting U.S. Attorney Catherine L. Crosby joins the Department of Justice and communities nationwide in observing National Crime Victims’ Rights Week (NCVRW), April 19-25.
NCVRW began in 1981 to honor victims of crime, promote victims’ rights, and recognize those who work with and advocate on behalf of victims of crime. The theme for this year’s observance is Listen. Act. Advocate. Protect victims, serve communities. Our victim witness professionals listen with compassion as victims share their stories and provide guidance throughout every step of the criminal justice process. The financial litigation team acts diligently to recover illegally obtained funds on behalf of crime victims. And every day, Assistant U.S. Attorneys appear in court to advocate for the rights of victims under the Crime Victims’ Rights Act and ensure those rights are protected.
“This week we honor the strength and resilience of crime victims and survivors,” said Acting U.S. Attorney Catherine Crosby. “Together with our law enforcement and community partners, we will continue working to ensure that no victim feels alone and that justice is accessible to all.”
Over the past year, the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Alabama has provided direct services to over 700 crime victims. The U.S. Attorney’s Office continues to maintain pivotal partnerships with One Place Metro Birmingham Family Justice Center, One Place of the Shoals, the National Children’s Advocacy Center, North Alabama Human Trafficking Task Force, and the Agency for Substance Abuse Prevention. These partnerships are key to expanding access to services and enabling crime victims to find the justice they seek, in whatever form that might take.
In addition, the U.S. Attorney’s Office’s Financial Litigation Program (FLP) has worked tirelessly to recover illegally obtained funds and return them to crime victims. In 2025, the FLP collected over $12.3 million in restitution debts imposed in criminal cases. These funds were provided directly to crime victims. The FLP also collected nearly $309,000 in fines imposed in criminal cases in 2025.
U.S. Attorney’s Office staff will attend the following events to commemorate NCVRW 2026:
- One Heart in the Park hosted by the Jefferson County District Attorney’s Office on Saturday, April 25, 2026, from 10:00a.m. – 2:00p.m. at East Lake Park.
- NCVRW Candlelight Vigil hosted by the Jefferson County District Attorney’s Office, Bessemer Division, on Thursday, April 23, 2026, at 6:00 p.m. at Perfecting Reconciliation Church.
Additional information about the U.S. Attorney’s Office Victim/Witness Assistance Program can be found here.
For additional information about this year’s National Crime Victims’ Rights Week and how to assist crime victims in your community, please visit OVC’s website at www.ovc.gov.
Mexican National Sentenced to Two Years in Prison for Illegally Re-entering the United StatesRead the Press Release
BIRMINGHAM, Ala. – An illegal alien has been sentenced for illegally re-entering the United States after deportation as a convicted felon, announced Acting United States Attorney Catherine L. Crosby.
On April 15, 2026, U.S. District Judge Anna M. Manasco sentenced Ramon Rodriguez-Gonzalez, 43, a citizen of Mexico, to 24 months in prison. In September 2025, Rodriguez-Gonzalez pleaded guilty to illegal re-entry after deportation after a felony conviction.
According to court records, Rodriguez-Gonzalez was deported on April 29, 2019, after he was convicted of false claim of citizenship in March 2019 in the United States District Court for the Northern District of Alabama. Rodriguez-Gonzalez came to law enforcement’s attention again on May 30, 2019, after illegally re-entering the United States. He was removed again on June 1, 2019. After having been found illegally in the United States a third time, Rodriguez was arrested on June 27, 2025, by the Alabama Law Enforcement Agency. He entered ICE custody on June 30, 2025. Rodriguez-Gonzalez is also currently facing state charges of homicide and abuse of a corpse in Bibb County.
This case is part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime.
This case was investigated by Homeland Security Investigations, the Federal Bureau of Investigation, and the Alabama Law Enforcement Agency. Assistant U.S. Attorney Allison J. Garnett prosecuted the case.
Etowah County Man Indicted for Possession of Child PornographyRead the Press Release
BIRMINGHAM, Ala. – An Etowah County man has been indicted on child exploitation charges, announced Acting U.S. Attorney Catherine L. Crosby.
A one-count indictment filed in U.S. District Court charges Kevin James Xiques, 54, of Altoona, Alabama, with possession of child pornography. The incident allegedly occurred in December 2025, in Etowah County, Alabama. Xiques was arrested today at his residence in Altoona, Alabama.
If you suspect or become aware of possible sexual exploitation of a child, please contact law enforcement. Reports can be filed with the National Center for Missing & Exploited Children (NCMEC) or online at www.cybertipline.org.
The case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched by the Department of Justice in May 2006 to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS), Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to better locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet and to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.projectsafechildhood.gov.
The FBI investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Daniel S. McBrayer is prosecuting the case.
An indictment contains only charges. A defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
Etowah County Man Sentenced to More than 17 Years in Prison for Trafficking DrugsRead the Press Release
ANNISTON, Ala. – An Etowah County man has been sentenced for trafficking drugs, announced Acting U.S. Attorney Catherine L. Crosby.
U.S. District Judge Corey L. Maze sentenced Tostig Denard Moore, 41, of Gadsden, Alabama, to 214 months in prison. In December 2025, Moore pleaded guilty to distribution of methamphetamine and possession with the intent to distribute fentanyl.
According to the plea agreement, between December 2024 and February 2025, Moore sold approximately 495 grams of methamphetamine to a law enforcement source over a series of controlled purchases. On March 4, 2025, deputies with the Etowah County Sheriff’s Office conducted a traffic stop on Moore and later arrested him after finding over a kilogram of fentanyl in his vehicle. Post-arrest, Moore admitted to travelling to Georgia to resupply on illegal narcotics.
This case is part of Operation Tres Hermanos. That operation is part of the Homeland Security Task Force (HSTF) initiative established by Executive Order 14159, Protecting the American People Against Invasion. The HSTF is a whole-of-government partnership dedicated to eliminating criminal cartels, foreign gangs, transnational criminal organizations, and human smuggling and trafficking rings operating in the United States and abroad. Through historic interagency collaboration, the HSTF directs the full might of United States law enforcement towards identifying, investigating, and prosecuting the full spectrum of crimes committed by these organizations, which have long fueled violence and instability within our borders. In performing this work, the HSTF places special emphasis on investigating and prosecuting those engaged in child trafficking or other crimes involving children. The HSTF further utilizes all available tools to prosecute and remove the most violent criminal aliens from the United States. The Alabama HSTF comprises agents and officers from the Drug Enforcement Administration, Homeland Security Investigations, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives, the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the United States Marshals Service, and the Internal Revenue Service, with the prosecution being led by the United States Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Alabama.
The FBI investigated the case along with the Etowah County Sheriff’s Office. Assistant U.S. Attorney Carson R. Gilbert prosecuted the case.
Kenyan National Sentenced to 18 Months in Prison for Illegally Possessing a FirearmRead the Press Release
BIRMINGHAM, Ala. – An illegal alien has been sentenced for illegally possessing a firearm, announced Acting United States Attorney Catherine L. Crosby.
Stanley Amalemba Ambeyi, 39, a citizen of Kenya, pleaded guilty in November 2025 to being an illegal alien in possession of a firearm. U.S. District Judge Madeline H. Haikala has sentenced Ambeyi to 18 months in prison for that crime.
According to the record at Ambeyi’s change-of-plea hearing, on April 11, 2025, an officer with the Birmingham Police Department initiated a traffic stop on Ambeyi. The officer observed a box of ammunition in the vehicle. This observation prompted the officer to ask Ambeyi if he had a firearm in the vehicle. Ambeyi stated that he did not have any firearms in the vehicle. The officer then informed Ambeyi that it was illegal to have an open alcoholic beverage in the vehicle and asked him to exit the vehicle. The officer recovered a Amadeo Rossi S. A. 22LR revolver from the vehicle and arrested Ambeyi.
At sentencing the government also presented evidence that, in November 2024, Ambeyi enticed a person he thought to be a fifteen-year-old girl to have sex with him for money. Charges for that conduct are pending against Ambeyi in Blount County Circuit Court.
This case is part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime.
The case was investigated by the ATF along with the Birmingham Police Department. Assistant United States Attorneys John B. Ward and Ryan S. Rummage prosecuted the case.
Jefferson County Woman Indicted for Distribution of Illegal DrugsRead the Press Release
BIRMINGHAM, Ala. – A federal grand jury has indicted a Jefferson County woman on drug charges, announced Acting U.S. Attorney Catherine L. Crosby
A three-count indictment filed in U.S. District Court charges Lekeria Antionette Toles, 26, of Mount Olive, Alabama, with distribution of methamphetamine and fentanyl. The incidents allegedly occurred between October 2024 and January 2025 in Jefferson County, Alabama.
This case is part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations, and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime.
The FBI investigated the case along with the Bessemer Police Special Operations Unit. Assistant United States Attorney Alan S. Kirk is prosecuting the case.
An indictment contains only charges. Defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
Mexican National Sentenced to 18 Months in Prison for Illegally Re-entering the United StatesRead the Press Release
BIRMINGHAM, Ala. – An illegal alien has been sentenced for illegally re-entering the United States after deportation, announced Acting United States Attorney Catherine L. Crosby.
Felipe Omar Hernandez-Gonzalez, 36, and a citizen of Mexico, pleaded guilty in January 2026 to having been found in the United States after being deported. U.S. District Judge Annemarie C. Axon sentenced Gonzalez to 18 months in prison.
According to court records, Gonzalez was deported in April 2018, after he was charged with DUI and assaulting his girlfriend in Hoover in February 2018. Hernandez-Gonzalez came to law enforcement’s attention again in the summer of 2025 after he beat and choked his current girlfriend in Walker County, Alabama. Court records also revealed that, in September 2017, Gonzalez pleaded guilty to and was sentenced for assault of his four-month-old daughter. The baby was taken to Children’s of Alabama where she was diagnosed with a subdural hematoma from severe head trauma.
This case is part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime.
This case was investigated by Homeland Security Investigations and the Walker County Sheriff’s Office. Assistant U.S. Attorney Jonathan Cross prosecuted the case.
Four Illegal Aliens Charged with Federal Immigration CrimesRead the Press Release
BIRMINGHAM, Alabama – A federal grand jury in Birmingham has charged four illegal aliens with immigration crimes, announced Acting U.S. Attorney Catherine L. Crosby.
Geremias Ponce, 22, a citizen of Honduras, was charged with illegally reentering the United States after having been previously deported, possession with intent to distribute 50 grams or more of methamphetamine, and being an alien in possession of a firearm.
Carlos Crisostomo Garcia, 48, a citizen of Mexico, was charged with illegally reentering the United States after having been previously deported and being an alien in possession of a firearm.
Jose Yosho Ibarra-Daniel, 40, a citizen of Mexico, was charged with being an alien in possession of a firearm.
Aldo Osiel De Blas-Salazar, 23, a citizen of Mexico, was charged with illegally reentering the United States after having previously been deported.
These cases are part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime.
An indictment contains only charges. A defendant is presumed innocent unless, and until, proven guilty.
Convicted Felon Pleads Guilty to Gas Station RobberyRead the Press Release
BIRMINGHAM, Ala. – A convicted felon has pleaded guilty to the robbery of a gas station in Attala, Alabama, announced Acting U.S. Attorney Catherine L. Crosby.
Joseph Lee Rainey, 34, of Munford, Alabama, pleaded guilty before U.S. District Court Judge Liles C. Burke to Hobbs Act Robbery, carrying and brandishing a firearm during a crime of violence, and being a felon in possession of a firearm.
According to court documents, on August 20, 2025, Rainey entered the Marathon gas station in Attala, Alabama, took a drink from the cooler, and approached the cashier as if he were going to pay for the beverage. Rainey then robbed the cashier at gunpoint. The cashier complied with Rainey’s demand and gave him approximately $500. On August 25, 2025, members of the 7th Judicial Major Crimes Unit were looking for Rainey in Ohatchee, Alabama, when they attempted to conduct a traffic stop on a vehicle in which Rainey was a passenger. The driver made an abrupt stop and got out of the vehicle. Rainey moved into the driver’s seat and sped away. The officers pursued Rainey in a high-speed chase that ended when Rainey jumped out of the vehicle and ran. A short time later, officers found Rainey hiding in a wooded area. The search of the vehicle revealed a Taurus 9mm pistol, matching the gun used during the Marathon gas station robbery, and a cell phone.
Rainey is prohibited from possessing a firearm because of his six prior felony convictions that span from 2016 to 2024, in the Circuit Court of Calhoun County, Circuit Court of Talladega County, and Circuit Court of St. Clair County.
The ATF investigated the case along with the 7th Judicial Major Crimes Unit. Assistant U.S. Attorney Brittney L. Plyler is prosecuting the case.
Convicted Felon Indicted on Drug Trafficking and Firearm ChargesRead the Press Release
BIRMINGHAM, Ala. – A federal grand jury has indicted a convicted felon for trafficking narcotics and illegally possessing a firearm, announced Acting U.S. Attorney Catherine L. Crosby.
A four-count indictment filed in U.S. District Court charges Renell Nathaniel Cooper, 32, of Birmingham, Alabama, with possession with the intent to distribute 50 grams or more of methamphetamine and being a felon in possession of a firearm.
According to the indictment, on two separate occasions in May and June 2025, Cooper sold more than 50 grams of methamphetamine and illegally possessed four firearms. The alleged incidents occurred in Jefferson County, Alabama. Cooper is prohibited from possessing a firearm because of prior felony convictions in the District Court of Shelby County and the District Court of Jefferson County.
The DEA investigated the case along with the U.S. Marshals Service and the Shelby County Sheriff’s Office. Assistant U.S. Attorney Allison J. Garnett is prosecuting the case.
This case is part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime.
An indictment contains only charges. Defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
Jefferson County Man Sentenced for Possessing Gun as a Convicted FelonRead the Press Release
BIRMINGHAM, Ala. – A Jefferson County man has been sentenced for illegal possession of a firearm, announced Acting U.S. Attorney Catherine L. Crosby.
U.S. District Court Judge Anna M. Manasco sentenced Jerrell Demichael Dunson, 47, of Birmingham, to 30 months in prison. In October, Dunson pleaded guilty to being a felon in possession of a firearm.
According to the plea agreement, on October 10, 2022, an officer with the Birmingham Police Department was dispatched to an apartment complex in Birmingham for a trespass call at a vacant apartment. When the officer arrived, he encountered Dunson at the vacant apartment. The officer asked Dunson for his identifying information so that the officer could write an incident report. Dunson had already left the scene when the officer discovered that he had 14 outstanding misdemeanor warrants. A short time later, the officer arrested Dunson in the Legion Field parking lot. Upon his arrest, Dunson was in possession of a Smith & Wesson .40 caliber pistol.
Dunson is prohibited from possessing a firearm due to prior felony convictions for burglary and robbery.
This case is part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime.
The ATF investigated the case along with the Birmingham Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Kristy M. Peoples prosecuted the case.
Non-Citizen Charged with Fraudulently Voting in Numerous ElectionsRead the Press Release
BIRMINGHAM, Ala. – A Mexican national was arrested and appeared in federal court this week after he was charged with violating Alabama law by voting in multiple elections as a non-citizen, announced Acting U.S. Attorney Catherine L. Crosby.
A complaint filed in U.S. District Court alleges that Homero Ramos, 51, is a lawful permanent resident who lives in Marion County but has never obtained U.S. citizenship. Nevertheless, Ramos registered to vote and voted – even though he knew that only U.S. citizens are permitted to do so under Alabama law. According to records maintained by the Alabama Secretary of State and the Probate Court of Marion County, Ramos voted in the 2022 and 2024 general elections.
Homeland Security Investigations investigated the case with assistance from the Alabama Secretary of State’s Office. Assistant United States Attorney Brett A. Janich is prosecuting the case.
The maximum penalty for the offense charged is 5 years in prison.
A criminal complaint is merely an allegation. A defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty in a court of law.
Vance Woman Charged with Embezzling More Than $10 Million from Former EmployerRead the Press Release
BIRMINGHAM, Ala. – A Vance woman has been charged in connection with her embezzlement of more than $10 million from her former employer, announced Acting U.S. Attorney Catherine L. Crosby.
A seven-count information filed in U.S. District Court charges Laura Lynn Tucker, 56, with six counts of wire fraud and one count of aggravated identity theft. A plea agreement was filed with the information, indicating that Tucker has agreed to plead guilty to all charges.
According to the information and plea agreement, Tucker was employed by a pond management company headquartered in Calera, Alabama, from 2000 through 2024 as the Office Manager/Bookkeeper. In her role as Office Manager/Bookkeeper, Tucker was assigned multiple company credit cards, which she was authorized to use to pay for certain business expenses. However, from approximately February 2020 through December 2024, Tucker used the credit cards assigned to her, credit cards assigned to other employees of the Company, and other credit cards belonging to the Company to pay for personal expenses totaling more than $10 million.
The Court will set a date for Tucker to enter her guilty plea.
FBI investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Brett A. Janich and Daniel S. McBrayer are prosecuting the case.
An information contains only charges. A defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
Maryland Man Indicted for Sexual Exploitation of ChildrenRead the Press Release
HUNTSVILLE, Ala. – A Maryland man has been indicted on child-exploitation charges, announced Acting U.S. Attorney Catherine L. Crosby.
A three-count indictment charges Donald Bernard Mewhort, Sr., 42, of Lexington Park, Maryland, with sexual exploitation of children, coercion and enticement of a minor, and transfer of obscene matter to a minor. The indictment alleges that these events occurred between January 6, 2026, and January 12, 2026, in Limestone County, Alabama.
The FBI Birmingham Field Office and FBI Baltimore, Maryland Field Office investigated the case along with the Limestone County Sheriff’s Office and the Alabama State Bureau of Investigation. Assistant United States Attorney R. Leann White is prosecuting the case.
If you suspect or become aware of the possible sexual exploitation of a child, please contact law enforcement. To alert the FBI Birmingham Office, call 205-326-6166. Reports can also be filed with the National Center for Missing & Exploited Children (NCMEC) or online at www.cybertipline.org.
The case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched by the Department of Justice in May 2006 to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS), Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to better locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet and to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.projectsafechildhood.gov.
An indictment is merely an allegation. A defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty in a court of law.
FCI Aliceville Correctional Officer Indicted for Sexual Assault of InmatesRead the Press Release
A correctional officer at Federal Correctional Institution (FCI) Aliceville was charged in an indictment, unsealed today, with eight counts of deprivation of rights under color of law arising out of his sexual assault of seven female inmates.
According to the indictment, between May 2022 and September 2024, Felix Sylvester Wilder, 37, violated the civil rights of seven women when he sexually assaulted them while they were incarcerated at FCI Aliceville and he was on duty as a FCI Aliceville correctional officer. If convicted of all the charges, Wilder faces a maximum sentence of life in prison.
Assistant Attorney General Harmeet K. Dhillon of the Department of Justice’s Civil Rights Division, Acting U.S. Attorney Catherine L. Crosby for the Northern District of Alabama, Special Agent in Charge Eric Fehlman of the Department of Justice Office of the Inspector General (DOJ OIG) Southeast Regional Office, and Special Agent in Charge David R. Fitzgibbons of the FBI Birmingham Field Office made the announcement.
This case was investigated by DOJ OIG Southeast Regional Office and the FBI Birmingham Field Office.
This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys John B. Ward and Assistant U.S. Attorney Olivia C. Brame for the Northern District of Alabama and Trial Attorney Sarah Howard of the Civil Rights Division’s Criminal Section.
An indictment is merely an allegation. All defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty in a court of law.
FCI Aliceville Correctional Officer Indicted for Sexual Assault of InmatesRead the Press Release
HUNTSVILLE, Ala. – A correctional officer at Federal Correctional Institution (FCI) Aliceville was charged in an indictment, unsealed today, with eight counts of deprivation of rights under color law arising out of his sexual assault of seven female inmates.
According to the indictment, between May 2022 and September 2024, Felix Sylvester Wilder, 37, violated the civil rights of seven women when he sexually assaulted them while they were incarcerated at FCI Aliceville and he was on duty as a FCI Aliceville correctional officer. If convicted of all the charges, Wilder faces a maximum sentence of life in prison.
Acting U.S. Attorney Catherine L. Crosby for the Northern District of Alabama, Assistant Attorney General Harmeet K. Dhillon of the Department of Justice’s Civil Rights Division, Special Agent in Charge Eric Fehlman of the Department of Justice Office of Inspector General (DOJ OIG) Southeast Regional Office, and Special Agent in Charge David R. Fitzgibbons of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) Field Office made the announcement.
The case was investigated by DOJ OIG Southeast Regional Office and the FBI Birmingham Field Office. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys John B. Ward and Olivia C. Brame for the Northern District of Alabama and Trial Attorney Sarah Howard of the Civil Rights Division’s Criminal Section.
An indictment is merely an allegation. All defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty in a court of law.
Two Individuals Indicted for Sexual Exploitation of ChildrenRead the Press Release
BIRMINGHAM, Ala. – A federal grand jury has indicted two individuals on child-exploitation charges, announced Acting U.S. Attorney Catherine L. Crosby.
The following defendants were indicted:
- A two-count indictment charges Steven Roshee Powell, also known as “Champ G,” 35, of Birmingham, Alabama, with sex trafficking of children and attempted sex trafficking by force, fraud, or coercion. The incidents occurred between October 2, 2025, and October 29, 2025, in Jefferson County, Alabama.
- A two-count indictment charges Adam Joseph Hegler, 46, of Hueytown, Alabama, with distribution and possession of child pornography. The incidents occurred between November 2024 and April 2025 in Jefferson County, Alabama.
If you suspect or become aware of possible sexual exploitation of a child, please contact law enforcement. Reports can be filed with the National Center for Missing & Exploited Children (NCMEC) or online at www.cybertipline.org.
The case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched by the Department of Justice in May 2006 to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS), Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to better locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet and to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.projectsafechildhood.gov.
Homeland Security Investigations investigated the cases along with the Jefferson County Sheriff’s Office. Assistant U.S. Attorney Daniel S. McBrayer is prosecuting the cases.
An indictment contains only charges. A defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
St. Clair County Man Sentenced to More than 13 Years in Prison for Sexual Exploitation of a MinorRead the Press Release
ANNISTON, Ala. – A St. Clair County man has been sentenced on charges related to the sexual exploitation of a minor, announced Acting United States Attorney Catherine L. Crosby.
United States District Judge Corey L. Maze sentenced Tyler Robert Curtis, 34, of Pell City, Alabama, to 162 months in prison followed by ten years of supervised release. Curtis was also ordered to pay a $3,000 special assessment under the Amy, Vicky, and Andy Act. In September 2025, Curtis pleaded guilty to distribution and possession of child pornography.
According to the plea agreement, on September 4, 2024, the Alabama State Bureau of Investigation received a CyberTip from the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children (NCMEC). Kik, a social media provider, reported to NCMEC that Curtis had uploaded images of child pornography to his account. During the investigation, the SBI determined that the IP address used to access the account originated from a residence in Pell City, Alabama. On September 11, 2024, SBI executed a state search warrant on the residence. The agents searched Curtis’s bedroom and seized his cell phone. A forensic examination of the device revealed images of child pornography. Curtis also searched for and downloaded child pornography on the cell phone.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by U.S. Attorneys' Offices and CEOS, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit Justice.gov/PSC.
If you suspect or become aware of the possible sexual exploitation of a child, please contact law enforcement. Reports can also be filed with the National Center for Missing & Exploited Children (NCMEC) or online at www.cybertipline.org.
The Amy, Vicky, and Andy Child Pornography Victim Assistance Act of 2018 (AVAA) created new penalties and made several changes to existing child pornography laws. In the passage of this legislation, Congress intended for victims of child pornography to be compensated for the harms resulting from every perpetrator who contributes to their anguish. The amounts received as AVAA special assessments are deposited in the Child Pornography Victims Reserve to pay defined monetary assistance to victims.
Homeland Security Investigations investigated the case along with the Alabama State Bureau of Investigation and the Autauga County Sheriff’s Office. Assistant U.S. Attorney Daniel S. McBrayer prosecuted the case.
Birmingham Man Charged with Impeding the Arrest of an Illegal ImmigrantRead the Press Release
BIRMINGHAM, Ala. – A federal grand jury has charged a Birmingham man with interfering in the arrest of an illegal immigrant, announced Acting U.S. Attorney Catherine L. Crosby.
A one-count indictment filed in U.S. District Court charges Cesar Acosta, 34, with impeding a federal officer. According to court documents, Acosta interfered with an Immigration and Customs Enforcement officer in the performance of official duties while the officer was attempting to arrest an illegal alien. The incident occurred on February 16, 2026, in Blount County.
This case is part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime.
Homeland Security Investigations conducted the investigation. Assistant United States Attorney Alan S. Kirk is prosecuting the case.
An indictment is merely an allegation. All defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty in a court of law.
Georgia Man Sentenced to 15 Years in Prison for Trafficking MethamphetamineRead the Press Release
ANNISTON, Ala. – A Georgia man has been sentenced for trafficking methamphetamine, announced Acting U.S. Attorney Catherine L. Crosby.
U.S. District Court Judge Corey L. Maze sentenced Cornelius Jermine Vincent, 46, of Atlanta, Georgia, to 180 months in prison. In April 2024, Vincent pleaded guilty to possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine and carrying a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime.
On January 10, 2021, a Heflin Police Officer was monitoring traffic on Interstate 20 in Heflin, Alabama. The officer conducted a traffic stop on a vehicle for failure to maintain a single lane. Vincent was the car’s driver. During the traffic stop, the officer smelled the odor of marijuana coming from the vehicle. He asked Vincent to exit the vehicle. The officer searched Vincent and found a bag of marijuana, a bag of powder cocaine,19 ecstasy tablets, and a Springfield Armory Model 1911 .40 caliber handgun. Upon searching the vehicle, the officer found approximately one kilogram of methamphetamine. The officer also recovered from the car another ecstasy pill, marijuana, and drug paraphernalia. Vincent was travelling from Sandy Springs, Georgia, to Gadsden, Alabama, to deliver drugs to an unknown individual.
This case is part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime.
The DEA investigated the case along with the Heflin Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Brittany T. Byrd prosecuted the case.
Three Defendants Charged with Federal Immigration CrimesRead the Press Release
BIRMINGHAM, Alabama – A federal grand jury in Birmingham has charged three individuals with immigration crimes, announced Acting U.S. Attorney Catherine L. Crosby.
The following defendants were indicted for illegally reentering the United States after having previously been deported:
- Jacob Garcia Martinez, 41, a citizen of Mexico; and
- Jose Sanchez-Flores, 31, a citizen of Mexico;
Jorge Alexis Campos-Dolores, 30, a citizen of Mexico, was charged with being an alien in possession of a firearm.
This case is part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime.
An indictment contains only charges. A defendant is presumed innocent unless, and until, proven guilty.
Texas Man Sentenced to More than Five Years in Prison for Smuggling Kilograms of CocaineRead the Press Release
BIRMINGHAM, Ala. – A Texas man has been sentenced for smuggling cocaine, announced Acting U.S. Attorney Catherine L. Crosby.
U.S. District Court Judge Anna Manasco sentenced Rolando Garza-Alaniz, 38, of Roma, Texas, to 64 months in prison. In October 2025, Garza pleaded guilty to possession with intent to distribute cocaine.
According to the plea agreement, on September 6, 2023, an agent with the 17th Circuit Drug Task Force conducted a traffic stop on Garza for crossing the lines on Interstate 20/59 in Greene County, Alabama. Garza told the agent that he and his girlfriend were travelling from Texas to New York for vacation. The agent noticed that Garza appeared to be extremely nervous during the conversation and asked if he could search the vehicle. Garza consented to the search. Agents recovered 7 kilograms of powder cocaine concealed inside the inner lining of the Igloo cooler.
This case is part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime.
Homeland Security Investigations investigated the case along with the 17th Circuit Drug Task Force. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Brittany T. Byrd and Carson R. Gilbert prosecuted the case.
Pennsylvania Man Sentenced to 40 Years in Prison for Sexually Exploiting a MinorRead the Press Release
BIRMINGHAM, Ala. – A Pennsylvania man has been sentenced on charges related to the sexual exploitation of children, announced Acting United States Attorney Catherine L. Crosby.
United States District Judge Anna M. Manasco sentenced Robert John Newman, Jr., 29, of Glenshaw, Pennsylvania, to 480 months in prison followed by a life term of supervised release. Newman was also ordered to pay a $5,000 special assessment under the Amy, Vicky, and Andy Act. In October 2025, Newman pleaded guilty to sexual exploitation of children, coercion and enticement of a minor, and travel with the intent to engage in illicit sexual conduct.
According to court documents, from on or about December 30, 2024, through January 4, 2025, Newman targeted the 14-year-old victim online through social media, befriended her through deceit, and relentlessly coerced her into sending him child sexual abuse material at his direction. On January 4, 2025, Newman travelled over 700 miles from his residence in Glenshaw, Pennsylvania to the minor victim’s residence in northern Alabama with the intent to engage in unlawful sexual activity with her. The minor’s mother found Newman, a man unknown to her, lying on the bed in her daughter’s bedroom and confronted him. Newman fled the residence back to Glenshaw, Pennsylvania.
On January 22, 2025, Newman was arrested in Pennsylvania on Alabama state warrants for electronic solicitation, traveling to meet a minor for an unlawful sex act, production of child pornography, distribution of child pornography, and possession of child pornography. At the time of his arrest, officers seized Newman’s iPhone. After obtaining a federal search warrant, FBI agents reviewed his iPhone which revealed communications between Newman and the minor victim as well as child sexual abuse material involving the victim. Additional digital evidence recovered from Newman’s iPhone revealed that this minor was not Newman’s only victim. After returning to Pennsylvania from the minor victim’s residence in Alabama, Newman was in communication with another victim who the FBI identified as an 11-year-old female in Colorado.
This case was part of Operation Restore Justice, a coordinated enforcement effort by FBI field offices across the country, the Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS) in the Department of Justice’s Criminal Division, and United States Attorneys’ Offices around the country to identify, track, and arrest child sex predators, and in connection with Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched by the Department of Justice in May 2006 to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS), Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to better locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet and to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.projectsafechildhood.gov.
If you suspect or become aware of the possible sexual exploitation of a child, please contact law enforcement. To alert the FBI Birmingham Office, call 205-326-6166. Reports can also be filed with the National Center for Missing & Exploited Children (NCMEC) or online at www.cybertipline.org.
The Amy, Vicky, and Andy Child Pornography Victim Assistance Act of 2018 (AVAA) created new penalties and made several changes to existing child pornography laws. In the passage of this legislation, Congress intended for victims of child pornography to be compensated for the harms resulting from every perpetrator who contributes to their anguish. The amounts received as AVAA special assessments are deposited in the Child Pornography Victims Reserve to pay defined monetary assistance to victims.
The FBI Birmingham Field Office investigated the case along with the FBI Pittsburgh Division (PA), FBI Denver Division (CO), Winston County, Alabama, Sheriff’s Office and the Shaler, Pennsylvania, Township Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney R. Leann White prosecuted the case.
Former Pastor Sentenced for Embezzling from a Local ChurchRead the Press Release
HUNTSVILLE, Ala. – A former Huntsville pastor has been sentenced for embezzling more than $400,000, announced U.S. Attorney Prim F. Escalona.
United States District Judge Liles C. Burke sentenced Adrian Derrell Davis, 42, to 60 months in prison. In October 2025, Davis pleaded guilty to wire fraud and filing a false tax return.
According to the information and plea agreement, Davis was the pastor at All Nations Worship Assembly (the “Church”) in Huntsville. From 2018 to 2020, Davis used his position as pastor to embezzle approximately $434,339 from the Church. For example, in 2018, Davis used $30,920 in Church funds to purchase an Audi A7. In 2019, Davis used $45,982 in Church funds to purchase a 2016 GMC Yukon. He also used Church funds to make 41 payments totaling $117,000 to satisfy the balance of his personal American Express card. Purchases that Davis made on this card included luxury items totaling $4,970.15 at Louis Vuitton and $5,300.00 at Flight Club, a shoe store in New York. In 2020, Davis used Church funds to pay a balance of $18,530 on a credit card that he had used to purchase jewelry. He also made additional payments from Church funds to his personal American Express card that totaled over $151,000. Items purchased that were paid with Church funds included a $29,900 purchase from Hublot, a $28,000 purchase from Peter Marco, and a $6,022.50 purchase from Louis Vuitton. None of these payments or purchases were authorized or approved by the Church.
Davis also failed to report the embezzled profit on his individual tax returns for 2018, 2019, and 2020 resulting in a tax loss to the IRS in the amount of $114,859.00. Davis did not provide his tax preparer with records showing that he had received and spent more than $400,000 of the Church’s funds in tax years 2018-2020. Additionally, Davis suggested to his tax preparer that his extra income came only from speaking engagements.
“Davis betrayed his congregation when he abused his position of trust for personal gain,” said U.S. Attorney Prim F. Escalona. “My office is committed to holding accountable individuals who violate positions of public trust.”
“Adrian Davis stole funds from his parishioners and filed false tax returns to conceal his crime,” said Assistant Special Agent in Charge Kristen A. Yukness, IRS Criminal Investigation, Atlanta Field Office. “IRS Criminal Investigation Special Agents are dedicated to ensuring that individuals who hold positions of trust within the community and use those positions to participate in fraudulent financial activities are held accountable.”
IRS-CI and the United States Secret Service investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Ryan S. Rummage prosecuted the case.
Two Individuals Charged in Scheme to “Straw Purchase” FirearmsRead the Press Release
HUNTSVILLE, Ala. – A federal grand jury has indicted two individuals in a scheme to “straw purchase” firearms, announced U.S. Attorney Prim F. Escalona.
A three-count indictment filed in U.S. District Court charges Habonisun Mynez Chaverst, 28, of Center Point, Alabama, and Keonna Daniella Cephus, 38, of Birmingham, Alabama, with conspiracy to straw purchase firearms and submit false ATF forms 4473. Cephus was also charged with making a false statement during the purchase of a firearm.
According to the indictment, between October 2024 and November 2024, Chaverst partnered with co-defendant Cephus to purchase six firearms from a Federal Firearms Licensee. Cephus, the straw purchaser, falsified documents by specifically stating that she was the actual buyer when in fact she was buying the firearms for Chaverst. On two separate occasions in November 2024, Cephus purchased two .40 caliber Glock 22 pistols, two .40 caliber Glock 23 pistols, and two 9mm Glock 17 pistols from Hoover Tactical Firearms. Cephus used money provided by Chaverst to purchase the firearms.
The ATF investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Carson R. Gilbert is prosecuting the case.
An indictment contains only charges. A defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
Two Individuals Charged in Scheme to “Straw Purchase” FirearmsRead the Press Release
HUNTSVILLE, Ala. – A federal grand jury has indicted two individuals in a scheme to “straw purchase” firearms, announced U.S. Attorney Prim F. Escalona.
A three-count indictment filed in U.S. District Court charges Habonisun Mynez Chaverst, 28, of Center Point, Alabama, and Keonna Daniella Cephus, 38, of Birmingham, Alabama, with conspiracy to straw purchase firearms and submit false ATF forms 4473. Cephus was also charged with making a false statement during the purchase of a firearm.
According to the indictment, between October 2024 and November 2024, Chaverst partnered with co-defendant Cephus to purchase six firearms from a Federal Firearms Licensee. Cephus, the straw purchaser, falsified documents by specifically stating that she was the actual buyer when in fact she was buying the firearms for Chaverst. On two separate occasions in November 2024, Cephus purchased two .40 caliber Glock 22 pistols, two .40 caliber Glock 23 pistols, and two 9mm Glock 17 pistols from Hoover Tactical Firearms. Cephus used money provided by Chaverst to purchase the firearms.
The ATF investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Carson R. Gilbert is prosecuting the case.
An indictment contains only charges. A defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
Large-scale Bessemer Drug Trafficking Ring IndictedRead the Press Release
BIRMINGHAM, Ala. – Two related indictments charging 19 defendants in a drug trafficking conspiracy based in Jefferson County have been unsealed, announced U.S. Attorney Prim F. Escalona.
The following individuals were charged in the first indictment: Hakim Rashad James, also known as “Hop,” 48, of Birmingham, Ranisha Alliya Tolbert, also known as “Nisha,” 26, of Bessemer, Kelvin Dean Lewis, 48, of Bessemer, Walter Jamal Tate, 47, of Birmingham, James Edward Williams, Jr., also known as “Junior,” 42, of Bessemer, Dornita Corine Roberson, 33, of Brighton, Carveyon Tiean Jargee Glover, also known as “Black,” 27, of Bessemer, Sammy Anthony Bryant, Jr., also known as “Pooh,” 43, of Bessemer, Leniqua Tamarshay Wood, 31, of Midfield, Patra Shaneal Floyd, 29, of Birmingham, and Stayci Aieyanna Long, 22, of Brighton.
These individuals were charged in the second indictment: Antonious Somuntez Sanders, also known as “Ant,” 45, of Bessemer, Zestra Cartasha Williams, also known as “Star,” 46, of Bessemer, Anthony Martez Harris, 39, of Birmingham, Luis Antonio Spano, 48, of Warrior, Geoffrey Lawson, 59, of Bessemer, Annenah Majeed, 48, of Bessemer, Tom Devonte Woods, 31, of Columbiana, and an unnamed defendant also known as “Roy,” 70, of Bessemer.
All 19 defendants were charged with conspiracy with the intent to distribute and distribution of methamphetamine and fentanyl between February 2025 and December 2025. The indictments also charge 15 of the defendants with at least one count of using a telephone to facilitate a drug-trafficking crime.
The FBI and DEA, along with local law enforcement agencies, have seized over 30 pounds of methamphetamine and fentanyl as part of this joint investigation. The indictments include special grand jury findings regarding the amount of methamphetamine and fentanyl attributable to various defendants as part of the drug-trafficking conspiracies:
- Sanders, Williams, and Majeed are charged with conspiracy to distribute 50 grams or more of methamphetamine and a substance containing a detectable amount of fentanyl.
- Sanders is also charged with conspiracy to distribute 500 grams or more of a substance containing a detectable amount of methamphetamine.
- James is charged with conspiracy to distribute 50 grams or more of methamphetamine, 40 grams or more of a substance containing a detectable amount of fentanyl, and a substance containing a detectable amount of methamphetamine.
- Harris, Spano, Lawson, and “Roy” are charged with conspiracy to distribute a substance containing a detectable amount of fentanyl.
- Woods is charged with conspiracy to distribute 5 grams or more of methamphetamine.
- Tolbert, Tate, Williams, Jr., Roberson, Lewis, and Long are charged with conspiracy to distribute 50 grams or more of methamphetamine.
- Glover, Wood, and Floyd are charged with conspiracy to distribute a substance containing a detectable amount of methamphetamine.
- Bryant, Jr. is charged with conspiracy to distribute 40 grams or more of a substance containing a detectable amount of fentanyl and a substance containing a detectable amount of methamphetamine.
The DEA and FBI investigated the cases along with the Bessemer Police Department, West Alabama Narcotics Task Force, Fairfield Police Department, Jefferson County Sheriff’s Office, Vestavia Police Department, Hoover Police Department, Shelby County Sheriff’s Office, Irondale Police Department and the Homewood Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Brittany T. Byrd and Carson R. Gilbert are prosecuting the cases.
This operation is part of the Homeland Security Task Force (HSTF) initiative established by Executive Order 14159, Protecting the American People Against Invasion. The HSTF is a whole-of-government partnership dedicated to eliminating criminal cartels, foreign gangs, transnational criminal organizations, and human smuggling and trafficking rings operating in the United States and abroad. Through historic interagency collaboration, the HSTF directs the full might of United States law enforcement towards identifying, investigating, and prosecuting the full spectrum of crimes committed by these organizations, which have long fueled violence and instability within our borders. In performing this work, the HSTF places special emphasis on investigating and prosecuting those engaged in child trafficking or other crimes involving children. The HSTF further utilizes all available tools to prosecute and remove the most violent criminal aliens from the United States. The Alabama HSTF comprises agents and officers from the Drug Enforcement Administration, Homeland Security Investigations, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives, the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the United States Marshals Service, and the Internal Revenue Service, with the prosecution being led by the United States Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Alabama.
An indictment is merely an allegation. All defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty in a court of law.
Illegal Alien Charged with Assaulting Immigration OfficerRead the Press Release
BIRMINGHAM, Ala. – Jose Emilio Ba-Ruiz was arrested and appeared in federal court today after he was charged with assaulting an Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) Deportation Officer, announced U.S. Attorney Prim F. Escalona.
A complaint filed in U.S. District Court alleges that Jose Emilio Ba-Ruiz, 51, a citizen of Mexico, committed the assault on February 2, 2026, while ICE - Enforcement and Removal Operations (ERO) and Customs Border Protection (CBP) conducted surveillance on a residence in Alabaster, Alabama. After officers saw a vehicle leave the residence that was registered to a foreign national without lawful status in the United States, CBP initiated a traffic stop. A Deportation Officer with ICE/ERO assisted with the traffic stop and approached the vehicle’s front passenger window. The passenger identified himself as Ba-Ruiz and was asked to exit the vehicle. After he exited, the Officer removed a knife from his pants pocket and told Ba-Ruiz that he was under arrest. When the Officer attempted to place Ba-Ruiz in handcuffs, he resisted and began to struggle with the Officer. He then pushed the Officer’s hands away, causing the Officer to fall to the ground and hit her head. Ba-Ruiz fled the scene on foot into the woods and used a stranger’s phone to call someone to pick him up. A short time later, United States Marshals Service deputies observed a male get into a Honda Accord near where the traffic stop had occurred. Officers stopped the Honda and discovered Ba-Ruiz lying in the back seat of the vehicle. Ba-Ruiz was taken into ICE custody and transported to the ICE Birmingham Office.
The Deportation Officer was transferred to the hospital to receive treatment for injuries the Officer suffered during the struggle with Ba-Ruiz.
This case is being investigated by the Department of Homeland Security, Immigration and Customs Enforcement. Assistant United States Attorney John G. Camp is prosecuting the case.
An indictment or criminal complaint is merely an allegation. A defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty in a court of law.
Chattanooga Man Charged with Assaulting a Corrections OfficerRead the Press Release
HUNTSVILLE, Ala. – A federal grand jury in Huntsville has charged a man with assaulting a corrections officer, announced U.S. Attorney Prim F. Escalona.
A one-count indictment filed in U.S. District Court charges Thomas Elliott, 31, of Chattanooga, Tennessee, with forcibly assaulting a corrections officer.
According to the indictment, in November 2025, Elliott assaulted a DeKalb County Sheriff’s Office Corrections Officer. The assault occurred at the DeKalb County Detention Center.
The United States Marshals Service conducted the investigation, along with the DeKalb County Sheriff’s Office. Assistant United States Attorney Davis A. Barlow is prosecuting the case.
The maximum penalty for the offense charged is 20 years imprisonment.
An indictment is merely an allegation. All defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty in a court of law.
Two Individuals Sentenced to 70 and 80 Years in Conspiracy to Sexually Exploit a ChildRead the Press Release
BIRMINGHAM, Ala. – Two individuals have been sentenced for their roles in a conspiracy to sexually exploit a child, announced U.S. Attorney Prim F. Escalona.
On Thursday, United States District Judge Anna M. Manasco, sentenced Wisam Sharieff, 44, of Euless, Texas, to 960 months in prison, followed by a life term of supervised release. Sharieff was also ordered to pay a $135,000 special assessment under the Amy, Vicky, and Andy Act (AVAA). In June 2025, Sharieff pleaded guilty to conspiracy to engage in sexual exploitation of children, conspiracy to receive and distribute child pornography, and sexual exploitation of children.
In October 2025, Sharieff’s co-defendant Blake Miller Barakat, also known as “Hamna,” 50, of Shelby County, Alabama, was sentenced to 840 months in prison followed by a life term of supervised release. Barakat was also ordered to pay a $30,000.00 AVAA special assessment. In June 2025, Barakat pleaded guilty to sexual exploitation of children, distribution of child pornography, and possession of child pornography.
Using the title of Imam, Sharieff was an online instructor who specialized in Quran recitation and professed to have taught over 25,000 students worldwide. Barakat was one of Sharieff’s online students. According to court documents, Sharieff told Barakat that a person could improve their recitation and become closer to Allah through achieving sexual pleasure. In October 2024, Sharieff and Barakat repeatedly watched and shared adult pornography videos with each other online and then influenced a seven-year-old child to watch these videos. Both defendants further coerced this child to engage in sexually explicit conduct for the purpose of producing child pornography.
“The defendants’ crimes are among the most appalling of societal and criminal offenses,” said U.S. Attorney Escalona. “This District will relentlessly pursue criminals that target children. I commend the dedicated collaboration of our law enforcement partners in Alabama and Texas in bringing these defendants to justice.”
“The exploitation of children is an egregious crime that demands immediate and decisive law enforcement action,” stated David R. Fitzgibbons, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI Birmingham Division. “The FBI stands ready to exert maximum effort, with urgency and in lockstep with our partners, to protect children and hold these predators accountable.”
The FBI Birmingham’s Child Exploitation and Human Trafficking Task Force investigated the case along with the FBI Dallas-Fort Worth Violent Crimes Task Force, Shelby County Sheriff’s Office (AL), and Euless Police Department (TX). Assistant United States Attorney R. Leann White prosecuted the case.
The Amy, Vicky, and Andy Child Pornography Victim Assistance Act of 2018 (AVAA) created new penalties and made several changes to existing child pornography laws. In the passage of this legislation, Congress intended for victims of child pornography to be compensated for the harms resulting from every perpetrator who contributes to their anguish. The amounts received as AVAA special assessments are deposited in the Child Pornography Victims Reserve to pay defined monetary assistance to victims.
The case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched by the Department of Justice in May 2006 to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS), Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to better locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, and to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.projectsafechildhood.gov.
Hale County Man Sentenced to 11 Years in Prison for Attempted Sex Trafficking of ChildrenRead the Press Release
BIRMINGHAM, Ala. – A Hale County man has been sentenced on charges related to attempted sex trafficking and drugs, announced U.S. Attorney Prim F. Escalona.
United States District Judge Anna M. Manasco sentenced Kenneth Dylan Williams, 39, of Gallion, Alabama, to 135 months in prison followed by 5 years of supervised release. In September 2025, Williams pleaded guilty to attempted sex trafficking of children and possession with the intent to distribute methamphetamine.
According to court documents, on August 9, 2024, a West Alabama Human Trafficking Task Force (WAHTTF) undercover (UC) officer posted an advertisement on a commercial sex website posing as a 19-year-old female in Tuscaloosa, Alabama. The following day, Williams sent a text message to the UC responding to the advertisement. During the exchange, the UC stated that she was only 15 years old and asked Williams if he wanted to continue to arrange a meeting. Williams requested a call with the UC to reassure himself that the UC was “real.” After the call, Williams confirmed the meeting location with the UC. Williams then traveled over an hour from his home to meet the UC at the set location in Brookwood, Alabama, and was arrested. During the arrest, officers recovered a Samsung Galaxy cell phone, wallet, and cash from Williams. A Tuscaloosa police officer searched Williams’s vehicle and recovered a clear plastic bag containing 25 grams of methamphetamine, a loaded Smith & Wesson 9mm pistol, a loaded Sig Sauer 10mm pistol, a black ski mask, and leather gloves.
The case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched by the Department of Justice in May 2006 to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS), Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, and to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.projectsafechildhood.gov.
The ATF investigated the case along with the West Alabama Human Trafficking Task Force and the Tuscaloosa Police Department. Assistant United States Attorney Daniel S. McBrayer prosecuted the case.
Non-Citizen Charged with Fraudulently Voting in Numerous ElectionsRead the Press Release
BIRMINGHAM, Ala. – A federal grand jury in Birmingham has charged a Canadian man after he violated Alabama law by voting in multiple elections as a non-citizen, announced U.S. Attorney Prim F. Escalona.
A four-count indictment filed in U.S. District Court charges Franc Neil Maloney, 71, with fraudulent voting.
According to the indictment, Maloney is a lawful permanent resident that lives in Blount County, but has never obtained U.S. citizenship. Despite this, Maloney registered to vote and voted—even though he knew that only U.S. citizens are permitted to do so under Alabama law. In fact, Maloney voted in every major election since registering, including primary and general elections in 2018, 2020, 2022, and 2024.
HSI investigated the case, with the assistance of the Alabama Secretary of State’s Office and IRS-CI. Assistant United States Attorney Brett A. Janich is prosecuting the case.
The maximum penalty for the charged offense is 5 years imprisonment.
An indictment is merely an allegation. All defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty in a court of law.
Guatemalan National Sentenced to Five Years in PrisonRead the Press Release
HUNTSVILLE, Ala. – A Guatemalan national has been sentenced for illegally returning to the United States after deportation, announced U.S. Attorney Prim F. Escalona.
United States District Judge Liles C. Burke sentenced Lucas Lucas-De Lucas, 36, to 60 months in prison for illegal reentry of a previously deported alien.
According to court documents, Lucas has two prior felony convictions for illegal reentry. He was first removed from the United States in May 2012. He was removed again in December 2019, February 2021, and April 2023.
This case is part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime.
Homeland Security Investigations investigated the case along with the Albertville Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Sara M. Judah prosecuted the case.
Convicted Felon Sentenced to 15 Years in Prison for Illegally Possessing a FirearmRead the Press Release
BIRMINGHAM, Ala. – A Birmingham man has been sentenced for illegal possession of a firearm, announced U.S. Attorney Prim F. Escalona.
Chief U.S. District Judge Madeline H. Haikala sentenced Cordarius Dejuan Martin Terrell, also known as “Cordarius Dejuan Terrell,” 32, to 180 months in prison. In May 2025, Terrell pleaded guilty to one count of being a felon in possession of a firearm.
According to the plea agreement, on May 13, 2024, officers with the Birmingham Police Department Crime Reduction Task Force were attempting to locate and arrest Terrell in connection with multiple active felony warrants. Later that day, officers arrested Terrell at a gas station on Graymont Avenue West in Birmingham. Upon his arrest, Terrell was in possession of a .40 Caliber Smith & Wesson pistol.
Terrell is prohibited from possessing a firearm due to multiple prior felony convictions that span from 2018 to 2023 for burglary, theft, and escape offenses.
The ATF investigated the case along with the Birmingham Police Department Crime Reduction Task Force. Assistant U.S. Attorney W. Lee Gilmer prosecuted the case.
Serial Offender Sentenced to 35 Years in Prison for Child ExploitationRead the Press Release
BIRMINGHAM, Ala. – A Tuscaloosa County man has been sentenced on charges related to the sexual exploitation of children, announced U.S. Attorney Prim Escalona.
United States District Judge R. David Proctor sentenced Jalan Christopher Lewis, 31, of Tuscaloosa, Alabama, to 35 years in prison followed by a lifetime of supervised release. Lewis was also ordered to pay a $5,000 special assessment under the Amy, Vicky, and Andy Act. In October 2025, Lewis pleaded guilty to coercion and enticement of a minor to engage in sexual activity, transferring obscene materials to minors, production of child pornography, and receipt and distribution of child pornography.
According to the plea agreement, in July 2024, an undercover (UC) law enforcement officer used a social media application to pose as a 15-year-old female in Tuscaloosa, Alabama. Lewis messaged the UC, and after learning her age, proposed engaging in sexual activity. Lewis continued messaging the UC and attempted to meet her for sexual activity. Upon arrival at the proposed meeting location in August 2024, Lewis was arrested. He had a condom in his sock.
Later, in December 2024, law enforcement discovered that Lewis had engaged in sex acts with a 14-year-old victim after he was released on bond following his August 2024 arrest. Lewis also met this minor victim on a social media application. Records from the social media application revealed that Lewis had produced child pornography depicting the 14-year-old and sent the produced material to the child. Lewis also received child pornography from the 14-year-old. Lewis was arrested for these additional offenses following a search warrant executed at his home in January 2025.
This case was part of Operation Restore Justice, a coordinated enforcement effort by FBI field offices across the country, the Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS) in the Department of Justice’s Criminal Division, and United States Attorneys’ Offices around the country to identify, track, and arrest child sex predators, and in connection with Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched by the Department of Justice in May 2006 to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS), Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to better locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet and to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.projectsafechildhood.gov.
If you suspect or become aware of the possible sexual exploitation of a child, please contact law enforcement. To alert the FBI Birmingham Office, call 205-326-6166. Reports can also be filed with the National Center for Missing & Exploited Children (NCMEC) or online at www.cybertipline.org.
The FBI Birmingham Field Office investigated the case along with the West Alabama Human Trafficking Task Force. Assistant U.S. Attorney Daniel S. McBrayer prosecuted the case.
Jefferson County Man Sentenced to Three Years in PrisonRead the Press Release
BIRMINGHAM, Ala. – A Jefferson County man has been sentenced for drug trafficking, announced U.S. Attorney Prim F. Escalona.
United States District Judge R. David Proctor sentenced Tyreses Katino Bosha, 25, of Birmingham, Alabama, to 37 months in prison for distribution of methamphetamine.
According to the plea agreement, in October 2023, the Alabama Law Enforcement Agency and Homeland Security Investigations were investing narcotics trafficking involving Bosha. On October 12, 2023, as part of the investigation, a confidential source (CS) met Bosha at a restaurant to purchase a half pound of methamphetamine for $1400. The CS waited several minutes in the parking lot before Bosha called the CS and instructed them to drive around to the back of the restaurant. The CS complied, and Bosha drove up next to the CS—driver door to driver door. The CS then provided the money to Bosha in exchange for the agreed amount of methamphetamine.
Homeland Security Investigations investigated the case along with the Alabama Law Enforcement Agency. Assistant U.S. Attorney Alan Kirk prosecuted the case.
Fifteen-Year Sentence for Marianna Man in Methamphetamine Distribution and Prison Contraband ConvictionsRead the Press Release
TALLAHASSEE, FLORIDA – Bertram Jerrell Williams, 50, of Marianna, Florida, was sentenced to 15 years in federal prison after previously pleading guilty to distribution of 50 grams or more of methamphetamine on April 16, 2025, and pleading guilty to possession of contraband by a federal prisoner on November 13, 2025. The sentence was announced by John P. Heekin, United States Attorney for the Northern District of Florida.
U.S. Attorney Heekin said: “I commend the outstanding work by our federal law enforcement partners to stop this offender from flooding our communities with deadly poison, and his subsequent attempt to smuggle drugs into federal prison. President Donald J. Trump and Attorney General Pam Bondi have made a promise through Operation Take Back America to deploy the full power of the Department of Justice to incapacitate the drug traffickers flooding our streets with poison, and my office will continue to deliver successful prosecutions like this to fulfill that promise.”
According to court records, on March 7, 2024, the defendant sold over 80 grams of methamphetamine during an undercover law enforcement operation. The defendant was taken into federal custody for that offense in July 2024. While he was held at the Federal Detention Center in Tallahassee, Florida, the defendant was caught attempting to smuggle drug contraband into the facility after a visitation session he had on April 13, 2025. Bureau of Prison (BOP) staff searched the defendant’s left boot, where they discovered two, cylinder shaped plastic tubes that were found to contain marijuana and synthetic marijuana.
“Not only does methamphetamine destroy an individual’s health, it destroys families and communities,” said DEA Miami Field Division Acting Special Agent in Charge Kevin Bobbitt. “We’ve made numerous seizures of this poison—particularly in the Pan Handle region of Florida. We will not stop until these criminals are brought to justice.”
The convictions and sentence were the result of a joint investigation by the Drug Enforcement Administration, the Federal Bureau of Prisons, the Florida Department of Law Enforcement, the Federal Bureau of Investigation, and the Jackson County Sheriff’s Office. The cases were prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Eric Welch and Jessica Etherton.
This case is part of Operation Take Back America a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime, human and drug trafficking.
The United States Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Florida is one of 94 offices that serve as the nation’s principal litigators under the direction of the Attorney General. To access public court documents online, please visit theU.S. District Court for the Northern District of Florida website. For more information about the United States Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Florida, visit https://www.justice.gov/usao-ndfl.
Convicted Felon Sentenced to More than Four Years in Prison for Illegally Possessing a FirearmRead the Press Release
BIRMINGHAM, Ala. – A convicted felon has been sentenced for illegally possessing a firearm, announced U.S. Attorney Prim F. Escalona.
United States District Judge Annemarie C. Axon sentenced Billy Keith Hamilton, 42, of Midfield, Alabama, to 24 months in prison on a supervised release revocation. Hamilton was also sentenced to a consecutive 27 months in prison based on his guilty plea to charges for being a felon in possession of a firearm, resulting in a total of 51 months in the custody of the Federal Bureau of Prisons.
According to the plea agreement, on July 13, 2024, a state trooper with the Alabama Law Enforcement Agency initiated a traffic stop of Hamilton. The state trooper informed Hamilton that he had an outstanding warrant for his arrest and asked him to exit the vehicle. Hamilton initially complied, then fled the scene with his minor children in the vehicle. After a chase through several cities, Hamilton arrived at his own neighborhood, abandoned his children and vehicle, and fled on foot into the woods while wearing a backpack. After a short pursuit, Hamilton was apprehended. The state trooper recovered a stolen Springfield XD .45 caliber pistol from Hamilton’s backpack.
ATF investigated the case along with the Alabama Law Enforcement Agency. Assistant U.S. Attorney Benjamin A. Keown, Sr. prosecuted the case.
Illegal Alien Sentenced for Role in Trafficking Almost 2 Kilograms of HeroinRead the Press Release
BIRMINGHAM, Ala. – An illegal alien has been sentenced on heroin-trafficking charges, announced U.S. Attorney Prim F. Escalona.
U.S. District Judge Annemarie C. Axon sentenced Jovani Correa-Gutierrez, 40, to 46 months in federal prison. In May 2025, Correa-Gutierezz pleaded guilty to conspiracy to distribute heroin and possession with intent to distribute heroin.
According to the plea agreement, on April 13, 2021, Correa-Gutierrez and a co-conspirator worked to distribute almost 2 kilograms of heroin to a confidential source. Upon their arrival business in Bessemer, Alabama, Correa-Guiterrez and his co-defendant were taken into custody, and the heroin was seized by law enforcement. Correa-Guiterrez is a Mexican national and was illegally present in the United States at the time of his arrest.
The Drug Enforcement Administration conducted the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Allison Garnett prosecuted the case.
Repeat Offender Sentenced to 15 Years in Prison for Child PornographyRead the Press Release
Huntsville, Ala. – A Limestone County man has been sentenced for committing child sexual exploitation crimes, announced U.S. Attorney Prim F. Escalona.
U.S. District Judge Harold D. Mooty, III, sentenced Clayton Sawyer, Jr., 67, of Athens, Alabama, to 180 months in prison, followed by a life term of supervised release. As part of his sentence, Sawyer was ordered to pay a $3,000 special assessment under the Amy, Vicky, and Andy Act. In December 2025, Sawyer pleaded guilty to possession of child pornography.
According to the plea agreement, on February 4, 2025, United States Probation Officers searched Sawyer’s residence and found a Samsung smartphone hidden inside of a box of “Breakfast Essentials.” A forensic analysis of the device revealed 18 images of child pornography. Possession of an electronic communication device without prior approval was a violation of the provisions of Sawyer’s supervised release.
At the time of the search, Sawyer was serving a life term of supervised release following federal convictions in the Northen District of Alabama for receipt of child pornography and possession of child pornography.
The FBI Birmingham – Huntsville RA investigated the case along with the United States Probation Office. Assistant United States Attorney Daniel S. McBrayer prosecuted the case.
The case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched by the Department of Justice in May 2006 to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS), Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, and to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.projectsafechildhood.gov.
Calhoun County Man Sentenced to More than 3 Years in Prison for Illegally Possessing a MachinegunRead the Press Release
ANNISTON, Ala. – A Calhoun County man has been sentenced for illegal possession of a machinegun, announced U.S. Attorney Prim F. Escalona.
United States District Judge Corey L. Maze sentenced Austin Heath Church, 38, of Anniston, Alabama, to 39 months in prison. Church pleaded guilty in September 2025 to two counts of possession of a machine gun.
According to the plea agreement, on February 8, 2025, Jacksonville Police officers were investigating an alleged violation of a Protection from Abuse Order in Jacksonville, Alabama. Officers searched the area and located Church in a business parking lot in Jacksonville. As Church got out of his vehicle, officers approached him. While speaking with Church, officers noticed a magazine pouch on Church’s hip. Officers found three loaded Glock magazines inside the pouch. Officers also recovered a Glock 9mm pistol that had been converted to a machinegun using a machinegun conversion device, commonly referred to as a “Glock switch,” from Church’s waistband. During the execution of a search warrant that officers obtained for Church’s vehicle, officers recovered seven additional firearms and a machinegun conversion device for an AR-type rifle (drop-in auto scar).
ATF investigated the case along with the Jacksonville Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Brittney L. Plyler prosecuted the case.
Anniston Gang Member Sentenced to More than Two Years in Prison for Illegally Possessing a MachinegunRead the Press Release
ANNISTON, Ala. – A Calhoun County man has been sentenced for illegal possession of a machinegun, announced U.S. Attorney Prim F. Escalona.
United States District Judge Corey L. Maze sentenced Justus Ramone Edmonson, 25, of Anniston, Alabama, to 32 months in prison. In August 2025, Edmonson pleaded guilty to possession of a machine gun.
According to the plea agreement, on April 29, 2024, officers with the Anniston Police Department were dispatched to Edmonson’s residence in Anniston to a report of shots fired and multiple gunshot victims. A group gathered on the front porch came under gunfire. Responding officers located a woman and three-year-old child who sustained gunshot wounds after being caught in the crossfire. Following the execution of a search warrant at the residence, officers recovered a Glock 9mm pistol that had been converted to a machinegun using a machinegun conversion device, commonly referred to as a “Glock switch,” that belonged to Edmonson. Doorbell camera footage revealed that Edmonson fired the machinegun during the shooting, and a further search of the residence uncovered evidence that Edmonson and others had been using the residence to sell controlled substances. Evidence was also presented at sentencing that Edmonson is a member of a local gang called “Cutthroat Mafia.”
This case is part of the Homeland Security Task Force (HSTF) initiative established by Executive Order 14159, Protecting the American People Against Invasion. The HSTF is a whole-of-government partnership dedicated to eliminating criminal cartels, foreign gangs, transnational criminal organizations, and human smuggling and trafficking rings operating in the United States and abroad. Through historic interagency collaboration, the HSTF directs the full might of United States law enforcement towards identifying, investigating, and prosecuting the full spectrum of crimes committed by these organizations, which have long fueled violence and instability within our borders. In performing this work, the HSTF places special emphasis on investigating and prosecuting those engaged in child trafficking or other crimes involving children. The HSTF further utilizes all available tools to prosecute and remove the most violent criminal aliens from the United States. The Alabama HSTF comprises agents and officers from the Drug Enforcement Administration, Homeland Security Investigations, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives, the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the United States Marshals Service, and the Internal Revenue Service, with the prosecution being led by the United States Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Alabama.
ATF investigated the case along with the Anniston Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Allison J. Garnett prosecuted the case.
Guatemalan National Charged with Biting ICE Officer During Traffic StopRead the Press Release
HUNTSVILLE, Ala. – A federal grand jury in Huntsville has charged a Guatemalan national with assaulting a U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (“ICE”) officer, announced U.S. Attorney Prim F. Escalona.
A one-count indictment filed in U.S. District Court charges Antonio Juan-Juan, 30, with forcibly assaulting a federal officer. According to court documents, Juan-Juan bit an ICE officer during a traffic stop in DeKalb County.
ICE conducted the investigation, along with the Dekalb County Sheriff’s Office. Assistant United States Attorney Brett A. Janich is prosecuting the case.
The maximum penalty for the charged offense is eight years imprisonment.
An indictment is merely an allegation. All defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty in a court of law.